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- [00:04]
A
Welcome to Confessions of an Interior Designer. I'm your host, Caroline Turner. Here we talk through the crazy stories that they certainly don't tell you in design school because let's face it, every space has its sins. Are you ready to hear confession? Hi, everyone. Today we're joined by Diana Wagenbach, founder and principal designer of Studio W, a full service residential architectural and interior design studio based in Hinton, Illinois. With a background of business and years of experience in the design industry, she launched her firm in 2020 and has since built a reputation for her timeless bespoke approach to design and is recognized as a featured Designer in the 80 Pro directory. Yay. Hi. Thank you for being here.
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B
Thank you for having me.
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A
This is going to be fun.
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B
It is going to be fun.
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A
I also want to circle back to 80 pro when we are getting to the questions, because I have. I have so many questions. But before we do that, tell us how you got here.
- [01:01]
B
Great. Well, hi. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for having me and thank you for doing this because I think it's so exciting to really see how everyone's stories are so different and to see that accessibility can be whatever you need it to be. Right. Like whatever your story and path is. So it's fun to see that. And it's also fun to break down the barriers. Right? Like, design should be fun. I tell that to my clients all the time where I'm like, there's nothing in this world that you would pay this amount of money and not expect a great experience out of it and be miserable while.
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A
Yeah, while it's happening. Absolutely.
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B
Exactly right. I'm like, no matter what, like, it still is construction. There's sure there's things that will happen. We're going to figure it out. But, like, I really want to enjoy the work that we're doing.
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A
So that's lovely.
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B
So I came into interior design in a different way. I always loved the creative field. I love anything beautiful. Was always attracted to food, fashion, design. And it feels like that's kind of a common thread that I hear from creatives, is you could really have found a job in any of those fields. I will say though, that I realized that I had a vision that is atypical. Like I could walk into a space and understand spatially how it should work. And I realized that that's not normal.
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A
I know. Isn't it funny when you realize, like, oh, okay, so that's actually a thing. My brain does that, not everybody else's brain.
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B
It is interesting.
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A
Yes.
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B
Because I just assume everyone is capable of doing that. Because I am. So.
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A
Exactly.
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B
Why wouldn't we all be able to do that? So I went to school for marketing. I went to Loyola and I worked while I was at school the entire time. So did not do a four year degree. It took a little longer than that because I was working part to full time during that time.
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A
That's a lot.
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B
It was crazy. I also graduated high school a year early.
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A
You must have been really smart.
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B
Yes, yes, I am.
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A
I'm glad you said it that way. Yes, you are very smart. I mean, that's amazing.
- [03:02]
B
Thank you. It was one of those things I wasn't really actually planning on doing. My best friend at the time was like, I'm done with high school. I want to get out. Like, I want to go to college. And I was like, well, I'm not going to stay here by myself.
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A
If you're leaving, I'm leaving.
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B
Yeah. And so I kind of had like a L. Woods. Like, what? Like, it's hard. Yeah. I'm like, I'll do it too. And it was totally fine. It was very easy. So anyway, the point of that is, in between my high school year and going into college, I did an internship at a mortgage company. Oh, cool. And worked for the head of the company. And so then when I went to college, I asked if I could work for him part time while I'm going to school because I was paying for my own school. So I did. And it was a really crazy and good learning experience.
- [03:45]
A
I bet you learned so much.
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B
So much. And it was a really weird time too because, you know, the market during that time was pretty wild. So, like, I remember going into the office after a Cubs game. I had left my car parked there and. And I went back to the office. We worked for American Home Mortgage and that was the first big bank that went under. And so I'm like pulling in from the Cubs game and like all of the loan officers are walking in and getting like their files at. It's like nine o' clock at night.
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A
So I just got chill.
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B
Pretty wild experience. Yeah, it was crazy. But I work for the head of the company who had this really interesting niche by working with professional athletes.
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A
Oh, cool.
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B
So I did all of his marketing, but I also did all of his, like, client management. And so it really did help me
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A
learn a lot
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B
while doing college because I had to actually learn how to communicate well. I had to learn how to communicate with clients. I had to learn how to problem solve. I also had to do this all on my own, you know, like, this was not a Google time where you're like, hey, chat, GPT. Can you tell me, like, can I do this? Like, figure it out and see what happens. So anyway, it was really interesting. I learned, like, I said, a lot. I dealt with many different personalities, I'm sure.
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A
And learning how to deal with people who are. Have, like, importance in society and feel that they have importance in society is an interesting skill. Like, I feel like something that I'm sure you've kept with you.
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B
Absolutely. Yes, it was definite. I would say most people were very kind. But, yeah, I do think having kind of that mentality that we want to do the best we can for you because that's your expectations, like, elite service,
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A
because that's what you expect.
- [05:30]
B
Absolutely. It was really, really important. But anyway, I graduated and then I stayed on with him. And then I got married and had our first son, Henry. And that was when I was like, this is not a dream job for me. I'm gonna retire, quote, unquote, and take care of my son. And so we had briefly renovated our apartment after we got married. And so that was like, my first real foray into, like, design in a practical way. And so I loved it at that time. And when we were thinking of moving, I was like, all right, if we're going to do this, I want to renovate our house. Like, I want to have control over what we're going to have it look like. Good for you. And again, use the design aspect of it in terms of just, like, the functional flow of how you're going to live. So that's what we did. So we started looking for homes. We ended up looking in Hinsdale, which is such a great town. Frankly, I had not even known about it until we started looking for it. I was very familiar with the suburbs on the north side, and that's where we had initially looked. But my husband had a job whose office was in Westmont. And so it was in that area
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A
that would be a hike to be on the northern suburbs and then go to terrible.
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B
Talked about. We did, like, actually look very hard in that area, like, like forest, like bluff. And it was like, you know what? Long term, if, you know, I want him to be around. Like, I actually really like my husband and so sweet. I actually want him to be, like, home on time and, like, for us
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A
to do not be in the car for two hours there, two hours back.
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B
Exactly. Well, and even thinking long term with our kids and activities, it's like, I want him to be able to be there easily. So absolutely, all of that was something we thought about. But anyway, yeah, we drove through Hinsdale and I was like, okay, this town is adorable.
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A
So cute.
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B
Absolutely love it. So we had our parameters of, like, what we wanted in the home, and I found exactly the neighborhood I wanted to be in. And so we looked for a few homes, and we found our home. And so it's fabulous. Really exciting. It was built in 1989, and so it had everything awesome from design in 1989 to 1989.
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A
The mechanical design happened in 1989.
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B
It was stunning. We had the shell, the seashell sinks. We had brass everywhere. Gold, fake brass. I think I had five different window shapes that were not rectangular.
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A
Sure, go crazy. Just throw them in there.
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B
One literally had a sun in it, like a sunglasses on, which. Whatever. It was just cute for, like.
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A
Yeah.
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B
You know, like at that time. But it was not our style.
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A
Sure.
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B
Needless to say. So we decided to make an offer on it, and we got it. And so that was the first big project. And the thing I really loved about the home. So we looked at, I think maybe about 10 homes at the time, and nine of them were historic homes. And this one was built in 1989. And the historic homes were really cool.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But knowing the amount of work that had to be done to them was so daunting.
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A
And I relate to that.
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B
I. Yes, I have heard, and I can't wait to hear more about your experience.
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A
I think you may have been smart. Yeah.
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B
And at the time, I was just like, I don't feel like I have the knowledge to be able to attack this. And so I just loved that this house had, like, all of the main features. It just needed to be updated and, like, created spatially a little bit better as well. So, like, it had four bedrooms upstairs. It had every bedroom. Every bedroom had a bathroom attached to it.
- [09:13]
A
Oh, that's great. I mean, an ensuite for all of them. That's ideal.
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B
Right. The laundry was upstairs. It had a attached garage, which at the time was a big thing my husband wanted. Coming from the city. It was like, we didn't. We need.
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A
We need a garage.
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B
Yeah. And most garages are frankly detached there. So it's really funny that that was one thing, and it was a corner lot. But anyway, we walked into the house, and I think, like, our house sat on the market for two years. Wild.
- [09:40]
A
Yeah.
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B
But I think the biggest reason it did was there was a massive fireplace that was like nine foot by six foot brick Two sided and it went all the way through to the second floor. So it actually cut into the walkway. Wow. And it led. So it was on the kitchen on one side and then the living room or great room was on the other side. And it was a sunken living room.
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A
Cool as well.
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B
So it was interesting. But it was just like one of those things that people are like, I don't know how to deal with.
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A
Sure, yeah. It's kind of daunting in that way.
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B
My initial response was like, we got to take it out. And I think everyone thought that I was crazy. They're like, how do you take out a fireplace? Like this isn't a normal thing to do. But I knew that was the right thing. So anyway, had that vision right when I walked in. I was like, I know what I want to do with the kitchen. I want to know what I want to do with every single space. So I hired an architect and hired a builder and then subsequently did not work with that builder. They did. One of the first, I think real lessons I learned is to under promise and over deliver.
- [10:43]
A
Yep. And I learned 50 times a day.
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B
They, you know, I went in being like, this is what I want to spend, this is what I want to do. Like, let's put together a budget. And they were like, great, no problem. And then they sent me the budget and it was twice the price of what I had said. And again and again the learning experience for me is like, that's okay. But like then it really broke that trust to begin with. That was, you don't know what you're talking about and where is this line going to go? Right. Like, is it going to continue to be this every single time? So we did not work with them. We ended up then, you know, hiring an architect, drawing up the plans so that we could properly bid it out. And then we found a builder who still was not a great organizer. It's going to make me sound really difficult, but I have very high expectations.
- [11:31]
A
I understand.
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B
And I'm willing to do the work myself. So like to me I was like, here, I'm handing this to you on a silver platter. I had all of my selections ready to go. Like I was not the problem and I'm not ever a problem on like a design.
- [11:44]
A
No, I do think that's something that I get that way actually. At my house the other day, there was like a weird soffit wall and they were like, we don't know what's under there. We don't have a hammer. We can't Break it. I was wearing these, like, big lug sole Gucci loafers, and I smashed my
- [12:00]
B
foot down, and I was like, okay,
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A
so it's open now. And they just looked at me like, she's fucking crazy. What did we just get ourselves into? Like, it started picking up.
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B
Wham. Okay, now it is. That is incredible. Like, let's go. We need more of this. You want an answer?
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A
I need solutions. Okay.
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B
Amen. That brings me so much joy.
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A
That's like, kind of the thing is that especially when you have very high expectations. I also understand when other people have very high expectations. And in some ways, having high expectations is our whole fucking job.
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B
I would agree. What you're paying us for. Absolutely.
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A
Is to make sure that you're not letting those little things go, but in a detail. You're gonna be so pissed you let it go.
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B
Absolutely.
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A
Because that happens all the time. And then I'll walk through someone's house five years after they've done a renovation. They hate everything.
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B
Yes.
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A
Because they let all those little things, quote, unquote, go in the process.
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B
No, you're so right. I mean, and it really is. It's like, that is what our job is.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Is to see all the details and to make sure they're executed. Well. I recently had a discussion with a business coach who I'm working with, and we were talking through exactly like, what. What is Studio W? What is important to you? So, like, I can kind of know who I want to hire next and what that would look like. And I was like, kind of what I said earlier, I was like, you know, I want to have fun. I want to have, like, a good, enjoyable experience. And she's like, Diana. She's like, no, you don't. I was like, wait, what? And she's like, you care about excellence first. Once excellence is met, then absolutely. You want to have fun.
- [13:36]
A
Yes, I relate to that.
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B
Excellence in design is your number one priority. And that was really life changing for me.
- [13:43]
A
I mean, she's right. And honestly, it should be like, I really relate to that. I feel like there's. And what we try to do is, like, win the clients with us, everything's fun and as light as it can be. And so that way, when there's less than ideal moments, it's not. It doesn't feel like it was the whole thing. It's a outlier versus the process.
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B
Exactly.
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A
But I think that then being overly detail oriented on the back end and ensuring design excellence is the piece that is so key. And often what people are not Executing correctly.
- [14:20]
B
I totally agree with you. So, yes, back to our house. This specific builder was just not engaged. I mean, he had a. He had the right people. So, like, I will say, the work was done well, but I managed it. And that was again, like my first foray into being, like, not only did I design it, but now I'm project managing.
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A
Now this is my job, is how
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B
I run my business. And I think that that's a good thing for me to have learned so early on is that it's not just the design, but it's the execution of it that really matters. And so I just loved it, though. We. We did the renovation, loved it all, and then we moved in. I had my daughter in 2018, and then I was like, we're done having kids. I feel good. My heart is full. I'm ready to figure out what my next step is. And that's when I was like, you know, I really loved doing this design piece and I think I want to try doing it for real. So I went back to school at the Art Institute for their certificate program.
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A
Did you like that?
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B
I did. I will say I did it in an unusual way because it was 2020. So looking back, I mean, I feel like the whole trajectory of my career and my life is like, I cannot believe that I was like, that motivated or that delusional to like, have made some of these decisions. But I think fearlessness and not getting stuck is like a strength of mine.
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A
Yeah, I. Yeah, it's the only way. Honestly, if you think too hard about it, you'll never do it.
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B
It's crazy. I mean, I was literally going to go downtown from six to nine o', clock, two days a week with a, at the time, a one year old and a four year old.
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A
Oh, my God.
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B
It blows my own mind. Right? Like, that's how committed I was to doing it. But then Covid hit and so everything went online, which was great for me because then I was able to like, actively do it and go faster with it. I will say the only downside of that was, you know, the reason I chose to do it is I wanted to learn the technical side of drawing correctly and being able to do that. And that's a little hard. Harder, like not in person, virtually.
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A
Yeah, it's difficult to have someone teach you things like that virtually.
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B
It probably would have been a little bit easier. Yeah. Being in person. But I did it. So, Yeah, I learned SketchUp, I learned AutoCAD, I learned Photoshop. I did all the things and then, you know, it was also the fun side of color theory and all of that. But for me, really, my goal was the technical side. I felt pretty strong in like, again what I wanted to do and felt good about it having completed my own project. So then it was like, how do I sell that story to other people? Right? So I had to have that technical side. So I did it and then I shot our house professionally and I started an Instagram page and I was like, let's see what happens. So in 2021, I got my first business bank account. And so that's amazing. When it was official, I'm like, all right, we're really going to do this real business. It's crazy. So how did you get your first client from Instagram?
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A
Amazing.
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B
Which is wild. So I started posting and I made my website and you know, I did all the things on own again, which is crazy. And I got, yeah. Reached out to by my first client, which was a first floor renovation in Chicago. Amazing. Which included for a single family home. And it was like kitchen, you know, the whole thing. And it was great. Like, it was so much fun. I went into it and I feel like right away I was able to show again what we were talking about, the fact that I really like being the person who's like, let's talk about the architecture of the home, let's talk about the spatial requirements first and then let's make it beautiful. And that was great in this project because I walked in and I was like, okay, you've got this crazy hallway here that's taking up all this space for no reason. Like, let's close this off. Let's create a pantry here. Let's, you know, do all these things. And she was like, awesome, let's do it. And so dream first client. They were, they were just so wonderful. And again, not on wood. I would say 98 of my clients have been that.
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A
Wow, that's amazing.
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B
Really, really lucky.
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A
Why do you think that is that you've had such a high success rate with clients?
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B
I would say maybe two things. One is I do think I try to under promise and over deliver. I always want to say it the correct way.
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A
I know I didn't do I want
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B
to say the wrong way. I do think I also have a really strong like, look and so people know what they're getting when they come to me to begin with. And I always just try to do the right thing. Like I, if, if mistakes happen, I will make it right. Like going back to my problem solving for marketing. Like, I think that was really important on that project specifically, too. It was funny at the end of it, appliances, like, everything was installed. Appliances were the final piece to get installed. And I am on vacation in Michigan, and I get a call from the owner, and he's like, dang it up. The cabinet doesn't work. And I was like, what? And he. So what happened was the specs on this specific refrigerator were, like, it didn't have the hinge specification in it, and it hinged, like, in a way that I wasn't expecting. And so it went beyond the cabinet. So he's freaking out. I was like, dude, it's okay.
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A
We'll remake it.
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B
I got you. We're gonna figure this out. Give me 30 minutes, and I'll call you back. So it worked with the cabinet maker? Yes. And it wasn't even a huge deal. We had to get another end panel made. Things got moved a little bit. Not a big deal at all, but it was hilarious. Cause, like, going back to marketing, I was like, this totally helped me. Cause I was just like, he's freaking out and yelling, and I'm like, it's okay. Everything will be fine. And then afterwards, he was like, I'm so sorry. And I was like, it's fine. You're good. I figured this out.
- [20:18]
A
It sounds like you have f. Figured out, though, is, like, not taking on the client's emotions. And that's not like I struggle with. I feel like when a client's upset, it's hard for me to just be like, don't be upset.
- [20:33]
B
Yeah.
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A
Not that that's what you're doing, but just in general, I think I do need to be a little bit more, like, it's not that big of a deal. It's okay. We'll fix it. Which I do to them, of course. But then afterwards, I'm like, well, they're freaking out. So even though I know it's gonna be fine, I'm anxious that they're. Because it's, like, the experience that they're having more than, like, the actual thing that went wrong.
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B
Right.
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A
I feel like I put a lot of pressure on that. Of, like, well, it's making their experience bad if something goes wrong.
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B
And I do, too. Like, I try my best as well, but I. You know, at the end of the day, we're gonna fix it. We're gonna figure it out. Everything will be fine. And I think I tell my clients that. And I have to believe it as well, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [21:11]
A
We figured everything out up to now, so we'll continue to it will be.
- [21:15]
B
Okay. Exactly. So. So, yeah, that was my first client, and it was wonderful. And I feel like this entire journey has been one big science experiment where it's like, you try something, you figure it out, you try another thing, you figure it out. If it doesn't work, you change course. And so that's kind of been what Studio W's been about, which is just trying to create dream homes for people and dream spaces and really, you know, show my expertise of being able to make the function first and then the form after. Yeah.
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A
That's amazing.
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B
Yeah. Now we're, you know, it's 2026. I opened a new studio last year, which is.
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A
Congratulations.
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B
Thank you. It was not planned, but it was wonderful and it was great because I get to. I got to actually really do what we talk about.
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A
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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B
I got to show off what you actually design the space.
- [22:07]
A
Yeah.
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B
And do all the bells and whistles and really get to like, like show a client. So fun.
- [22:13]
A
Such a fun.
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B
It's so fun. And it's. Again, the pretty part to me is the easy part. It's just getting all these stuff that people don't see and understand.
- [22:21]
A
Yeah.
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B
And so when you can actually, like, illustrate that to your clients and be like, let's talk about lighting, like here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, it just brings it to life and helps them want to make that investment a little bit.
- [22:33]
A
I definitely think seeing things in person, even if you can show a photo, a video, whatever, no matter what, clients seeing things in person, it just automatically makes things. It's either like just they're a yes or a no when they see something in person, whereas I feel like anything else, they're hemming and hawing and not quite sure. Not everyone, but I found that the more we can see in person, the better. For sure.
- [22:54]
B
So true. I mean, I will say that's like a big part of how I run my process is like, I put everything into 2D first, then we put everything into 3D and that, like, just that visualization.
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A
Oh, it makes a huge difference.
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B
So important.
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A
Absolutely. We found that renderings are so key, like, for our process. It's kind of Couldn't do it without
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B
them, which I feel like it used to be.
- [23:17]
A
Yeah. Used to be just like an add on.
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B
It's crazy to think, like, how that didn't exist 10 years ago. I know, right?
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A
People who couldn't imagine just had to be like, okay, I'm trusting you. Which is. Yeah.
- [23:29]
B
Also sounds nice, though.
- [23:31]
A
I know, right?
- [23:32]
B
A little bit more trust in the process.
- [23:34]
A
That does sound nice. That would be great. That would be ideal. Here's a confession I know a lot of you can relate to. For years, I told myself I had my project management under control. Sure, I had 30 different tabs, docs and emails open at once. And yes, I'd occasionally panic search for a specification at midnight. But I was still managing. Right? Then I tried Programa, and I realized I wasn't managing, I was just surviving. And barely. When I demoed the platform, I was most impressed by their incredible AI web clipper that pulls every single spec from a supplier's webpage straight into your product schedule. We're talking product details, dimensions, pricing, finishes, everything captured in seconds instead of the hours we used to spend copying and pasting into spreadsheets. It saves me so much time, and most importantly, it's given me back the headspace to actually focus on design instead of drowning an admin. So here's my advice. If you're serious about streamlining your design business and actually reclaiming some time in your day, head to programa.design and use code CONFESSIONS25 to get 25% off your annual subscription. Trust me, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. Before we get into confessions, what is your vice, if you have one?
- [24:55]
B
That is a great question. I was thinking about it. I'm like, man, which one? I would say I'm gonna go with the silly one, but I love a good meme. Like, I will legitimately waste an hour of my day scrolling on Instagram through memes, laughing my butt off, which is so stupid. But, like, if you wanna be my friend, send me memes.
- [25:22]
A
Send me memes.
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B
I'm fond with memes. Like, I've done it even with clients. I'm like, is this too far? But, like, it's just so, so good.
- [25:29]
A
So funny.
- [25:29]
B
I mean.
- [25:30]
A
I mean, that's.
- [25:31]
B
That brings me so much joy. It's the guilty pleasure, right?
- [25:33]
A
Yeah. I feel that way about TikTok. I can lose two hours in the bath to TikTok. And I'm like, what? But I'm, like, crying, laughing. So to me, it's worth it.
- [25:43]
B
I mean, I feel like words are great, but a picture with words, you're
- [25:46]
A
just like, even better.
- [25:48]
B
Sells the story. It does a lot for me.
- [25:52]
A
Amazing. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Okay, let's get into our confession. This project started as one of those rare unicorn jobs. The client had a very clear vision, trusted us completely, approved designs quickly, and allowed us to execute the entire home exactly the way we envisioned it. For her, it was a full house project with custom furniture, commissioned pieces, beautiful fabrics, and the kind of project us designers live for.
- [26:23]
B
Sounds incredible.
- [26:24]
A
Like incredible. Naturally, from years of experience, that of course meant something absolutely unhinged was about to happen.
- [26:30]
B
Oh, no.
- [26:31]
A
Because of the location of the project, we had to use a different receiving warehouse. We had never worked with them before, but other trusted local designers recommended them. So we confidently signed on. Fast forward to installation day. There was a large installation with multiple trucks and a huge amount of items for their 7,000 square foot home. My team and I were outside waiting for the trucks like kids on Christmas morning. Clipboards ready, checklists out. We were so excited to finally see some of the custom pieces we had spent months designing come to life in the spaces. Which is like, that's such. That's the best part. That's such a good feeling.
- [27:03]
B
Ugh.
- [27:03]
A
It is knowing you're about to see all of this and getting to put it in its place. My brain loves that.
- [27:08]
B
I feel like I'm always like, walking through SketchUp.
- [27:11]
A
This is real.
- [27:13]
B
And it's also so annoying. Cause I'm like, that person. I'm like, oh my gosh, this looks so good. This looks so good. And I'm like, I'm not like, egotistical. I just like, am so happy. It's just so fun to see it come to fruition.
- [27:24]
A
This is amazing. I am the same way. I think I do this. I'm always like, if I do say so myself. And I know my team's like, shut up.
- [27:30]
B
I feel so bad.
- [27:31]
A
Shut up.
- [27:32]
B
That's so good.
- [27:33]
A
The truck started unloading packaging everywhere. We are checking items off the list, oohing and ahhing over how everything is coming together while simultaneously trying to control the chaos of install day. And then we noticed something odd. The trucks are now empty, and we have many items not checked off our list.
- [27:50]
B
Oh, no.
- [27:51]
A
A custom sofa is missing. Some artwork is missing. Other furniture is missing. Many accessories are missing. We immediately asked the delivery crew if there was possibly a mistake and those two dozen or so items were left back at the warehouse or if another truck was coming. They stare at us like we have asked them to solve a calculus equation. So we launch into action and call the warehouse. They say not to worry and promise everything will arrive the next day. This alone is annoying because we were. I know, like what? This alone was annoying because we were not scheduled for installation the following day and the home is an hour and a half away from our office. But what choice do we have other than to Rearrange the entire next day's schedule. Not ideal, but manageable. Also, the client, I have to assume. Unless they don't live there yet, but, like, if the client's living there and they think their whole house is going to be installed in one day and then it's not, I have to assume that's frustrating situation to be put into.
- [28:45]
B
Yeah, well, I'm also, like, I try to plan my photography right immediately after as well for something like that. Like, that would be. Ugh.
- [28:52]
A
Oh, my God. The next morning, we arrive at the house again, coffees in hand, ready to finish the installation. The truck pulls up. The door is open. They hand us one piece of artwork and a box of coffee table accessories. No sofa. None of the other artwork. None of the other pieces. The value of the missing items was around $50,000.
- [29:10]
B
What?
- [29:11]
A
And I am understandably not okay. Like, yeah, how did.
- [29:15]
B
How did this get here?
- [29:17]
A
Yeah, that's my question. The warehouse begins responding to me on the phone as if I'm the problem. They act annoyed that I keep asking about the missing items. They belittle the situation and say they will eventually find them and will call me when they do.
- [29:31]
B
What?
- [29:33]
A
Isn't that kind of your whole job is to keep things safe and then deliver them when you're supposed to?
- [29:38]
B
That's literally the job.
- [29:39]
A
That's kind of the whole job description.
- [29:41]
B
This is where I'm super nice until I'm not nice. That would not have been a conversation. Oh, my goodness.
- [29:48]
A
Attorney, hello.
- [29:50]
B
Like, you are gonna whittle me a coach if you can't figure it out.
- [29:53]
A
You like me going in a rowboat to fucking England to get me the sofa that you can't find. Oh, my God.
- [30:00]
B
So odd though. Like, and that's what. Going back to being a problem solver, like, come to me with a solution before you come to me with attitude.
- [30:08]
A
But don't you feel like this is kind of common for warehouse, like, receiving warehouses?
- [30:12]
B
Oh, my gosh. I thankfully have not had this issue, so I.
- [30:15]
A
Thank you guys. I haven't had this many things missing, but I've had some major issues with someone we previously worked with.
- [30:23]
B
Really?
- [30:23]
A
This is. It sounds like a plug because we literally have an ad for a receiving warehouse on this episode. Hilarious. I promise this was not on purpose.
- [30:29]
B
It was meant to be.
- [30:30]
A
This was just a story. But we definitely do. But I feel like what you're saying. Problem solving. Not many warehouses are interested in that. They just pay out the $0.60 per pound of anything that they break. So, like, you could have a $50,000 coffee table that they break and they give you. I don't even know the math. But, like, what $5,000, like, that's not going to cut it. So if we're so wasteful, too. And time also taking advantage of small businesses which. Which most interior designers are. Absolutely. And we're left holding the bag when they do that. I mean, I just spent minimum $10,000 to make it right with a client because of a warehouse in Chicago.
- [31:12]
B
That sucks.
- [31:13]
A
Like it was. And the client was, you know, beyond. Like it was. It was a disaster. It was horrible. I really want to name drop them right now. I'm not going to.
- [31:21]
B
I really want you to name drop two.
- [31:22]
A
I want to so badly DM me. And I'll tell you why not. I do think that, like, this is something that a lot of designers are dealing. Maybe not $50,000 worth of merchandise, but we were dealing a lot with items coming in broken that had. We had not been notified they were broken.
- [31:38]
B
It's ridiculous.
- [31:39]
A
So they were being broken in the warehouse when again, your whole job is to store things safely and deliver them.
- [31:45]
B
Yes.
- [31:45]
A
Like, this is not a hard. Anyway, okay. Days pass. I cannot get them to take my calls. I cannot get answers. I cannot get the owners on the phone. I mean, livid emails sit unanswered. Meanwhile, I'm having what can only be described as a professional psychological breakdown. Ye. Like I would be doing the same. I feel so bad for her. I'm not sleeping. Or them. I don't even know. I'm not sleeping. I'm barely eating. My team cannot have a single conversation with me without breaking up the missing items, which is also relatable. I even drove to the warehouse one day unannounced. Yep. That would have been me. With copies of all the sign for by them tracking and bills of lading and hands for the missing items. Fully prepared to scour the warehouse myself. They would not let me inside.
- [32:30]
B
It's a nightmare.
- [32:31]
A
I contacted the police to see if there was any possible way to press charges.
- [32:35]
B
Yes.
- [32:35]
A
So now I have a very understandably angry client. $50,000 worth of furniture that has seemingly vanished into another dimension in a warehouse that has absolutely no urgency whatsoever to help find it and clearly just wants me to give up and go away. I mean, this is actually like nightmare scenarios.
- [32:52]
B
This is insane.
- [32:53]
A
Insane.
- [32:54]
B
Like, this is not. This is a. This is business. It's a business. How can you not trust a business to do the thing that you signed for and like you were a business like what is the expectation here? That you're just gonna pretend like nothing happened? Like, I don't even. I can't comprehend this. Yeah, poor thing. This is miserable.
- [33:11]
A
At this point, I realize there is only one option. I have to reorder everything for my client out of pocket because it is the professional thing to do. I want to throw up.
- [33:22]
B
That's terrible. Well, and where do you send it to now?
- [33:24]
A
Also, she needs the receiver.
- [33:26]
B
Like, where does it go to?
- [33:27]
A
Who does it even go to? Also, $50,000 is not a small amount of money.
- [33:31]
B
No, that's so much money.
- [33:32]
A
And if you don't have that allocated, like, I. Because also, you can't even invoke your errors and omissions insurance because you didn't make the error.
- [33:42]
B
Right?
- [33:43]
A
Oh, my God. Okay. They paid for these items, and if I cannot deliver them now, then I either need to refund them or replace them. They chose replace. So I reorder everything and rush whatever I can on my dime. But the original items are still missing, and the warehouse refuses to provide their insurance information so we can file a claim. What?
- [34:04]
B
This is craziness.
- [34:05]
A
These people should be in jail.
- [34:08]
B
Yes. Well, now you're making me be like, okay, I need to, like, reach out to all of my vendors and get their insurance now. Get all of these things ready to go.
- [34:15]
A
Just you wait.
- [34:16]
B
No.
- [34:18]
A
I am crying, begging, pleading. I need to file an insurance claim. Even though I have my own insurance, I have the right to file an insurance claim on theirs. This goes on for weeks. I become obsessed with figuring out how to find the insurance carrier for a business I call friends in the insurance industry. I Google, I brainstorm. I'm diving as deep as I possibly can. Turns out there is basically no way to get that information. I have failed. Then one night, while staring at the ceiling, because of my newly developed stress induced insomnia, I have an idea. I'm going to need my team to become amateur detectives. And luckily for me, they were completely on board. We created an imaginary person. New name, new email address, entire backstory. Let's call her Jenny. Imaginary Jenny was buying a second home in a luxury high rise. She had been told that using a receiving warehouse was the best way to go. I'm smiling ear to ear because I'm so obsessed with this person. You are iconic. Oh, my God. Using a receiving warehouse was the best way to go, so she could shop, shop, shop and have everything delivered at once. Jenny does not have a designer, so she called the warehouse to set up an account herself. She asked all the right questions for an amateur. They were thrilled to take Jenny on as a client. Jenny filled out the paperwork, emailed it back, and we strategically waited a few days. Then Jenny called again and said she had spoken with her building manager and had been told that the building required, quote, something called a coi.
- [35:42]
B
Yes. Get it, Jenny.
- [35:45]
A
Certificate of insurance. Before the warehouse could be approved. Could be an approved delivery service. Could they send that over? And just like that, they emailed it. Sitting in Jenny's inbox in all its glory, was a file with the name and address of their insurance carrier. It was like the moment in a movie when you hear the angels sing. Jenny, of course, disappeared into the night, never to be heard from again. Though she will always remain in our hearts.
- [36:13]
B
I mean, I would have her as an honorary employee.
- [36:16]
A
100%. But now we had the information we needed, we filed the insurance claim, and eventually recovered every single penny. I have chills all over my body. Good for her. Yes. Oh, my God.
- [36:30]
B
That's insane.
- [36:31]
A
Talk about a meme. You know that meme from Arrested Development where she says, good for her?
- [36:36]
B
Exactly.
- [36:37]
A
That's what is coming to mind in this moment. Oh, my. My God.
- [36:41]
B
I think my meme would be the Ben Affleck one where he smokes as a cigarette.
- [36:46]
A
Just like, I'm gonna kill myself. Yes.
- [36:48]
B
At the beginning. And then yours is at the end. Now we're. Now we're talking. We're vibing. Oh, my gosh. This is crazy, Tone.
- [36:56]
A
Crazy. We never heard from the warehouse again, but I am quite sure they were absolutely furious when they realized we had outsmarted them. To this day, we still have no idea where those original items went. Were they stolen in a warehouse heist? Misplaced in some mysterious corner of the warehouse? Did they accidentally furnish someone else's house? Who didn't say anything? What I do know is that after 15 years in this business, I previously only obtained a COI when it was requested by a building. And now I will never again ship a single item to a receiving warehouse without their insurance information first.
- [37:30]
B
It's a very smart one. Unfortunately. I definitely learned the hard way that
- [37:33]
A
is the moral of the motherfucking story. And has made me rethink our process, and that is for sure. Can you believe that?
- [37:41]
B
No, I cannot. That is absolutely crazy. Like, it's actually legit.
- [37:44]
A
When someone's like, oh, my God, I had a nightmare situation.
- [37:47]
B
That is it.
- [37:47]
A
If it's not worse than this, that is it. Like, this is. Talk about problem solving. She's iconic. I really do Think I would have just been like, I guess I have to sue them. I would not have thought to do that.
- [38:01]
B
Smocky valuable.
- [38:02]
A
I had to up my game.
- [38:03]
B
I like it. That's incredible. Like, I just can't believe though, that someone would do business that way.
- [38:09]
A
There are so many people.
- [38:11]
B
Ghosts. I mean, that just shocks me.
- [38:14]
A
We've had a couple happen a couple of times where full companies just go dark and ghost and you.
- [38:21]
B
But still continue to do business. They just ghost you personally.
- [38:24]
A
It's happening right now with a company that went under and they just went dark for six months and then they went under vendor. This is a business of like trust, unfortunately. And you have to trust your vendors, you have to trust your contractor, you have to trust your warehouse. You have to try and like, you
- [38:40]
B
can only prepare for so much. Yeah, exactly.
- [38:42]
A
Like you can only do as much as you can do. And so the fact that she was still able to, like, I mean, I'm just.
- [38:49]
B
Yeah, I'm an energy person though. She's gonna get good energy and whatever is happening with them and that way
- [38:55]
A
come to them to the ground and they'll be bankrupt. Like, that's how things work. I. I do truly that the universe will write the scales.
- [39:04]
B
But that's crazy.
- [39:06]
A
My goodness. Wow. Okay. We need to do some penance. Penance for the warehouse.
- [39:14]
B
Listen, I go and get a business degree.
- [39:19]
A
That is the nicest recommendation I'm gonna say. I. You know, sometimes arson just happens for no reason and you don't know why. It's just spontaneous arsonists or spontaneous fights. I think it doesn't even need to be lightning.
- [39:34]
B
I mean, lightning's been around for a while.
- [39:36]
A
Electrical fires happen all the time.
- [39:38]
B
You just never know. It's crazy.
- [39:39]
A
And yeah, I hope good luck to them for the designer. She deserves an all expense paid trip to wherever the fuck she wants to go and like to literally be gone from work for a month.
- [39:55]
B
Worth it.
- [39:56]
A
And maybe she belongs in Mensa because, like, I'm actually so impressed with her.
- [40:00]
B
She should get like a true crime show. Maybe that could be her pedants.
- [40:06]
A
Yeah, they could have like a little
- [40:07]
B
side hustle as like this really awesome detective.
- [40:12]
A
I mean, a detective interior designer is not a horrible idea for a show. Also, I know that everyone's like dialing
- [40:18]
B
their receiving warehouse right now, but really, where is the furniture? Did they just fuck it up like that is. That is genuinely something I want to know.
- [40:27]
A
I do too.
- [40:28]
B
I'm going to have to reach out to Jenny and find more information.
- [40:32]
A
Jenny, listen we need answers.
- [40:33]
B
Do you happen to have, have any furniture at the warehouse?
- [40:37]
A
The only things I can think is that someone who like works at the warehouse took the things A or B, they were like damaged, broken, and they don't want to admit it so they don't have to replace it. But then at that point, why not just invoke your insurance, pay them out like you end up having to do anyway.
- [40:53]
B
Makes no sense.
- [40:54]
A
Or, or they're doing something shady. Because what doesn't make sense is that, like, why not just. Just if you broke the stuff, invoke your insurance, give them the money, or reorder the things and be done. You wouldn't just like ghost someone and do all of that. I mean, unless you're just a bad person and you think you can get away with it, which maybe is also probably more common.
- [41:16]
B
It has to be the reality. That's so weird. It's also like a custom thing. Like, what are you gonna do with that? Like, well, so weird.
- [41:22]
A
We had custom drapery stolen from our office. How it's like, what are you gonna do with this? That?
- [41:28]
B
Seriously?
- [41:29]
A
It was for like very specific windows, cafe curtains, like specific random heights. Nothing matched. It was like, that's good luck with that. But you know, it was worth to us thousands of dollars. Yeah, absolutely. So I think sometimes people are just being evil to be evil. Like, I don't, I don't, I don't know. But that would keep me up at night not knowing where those things went.
- [41:50]
B
I really want to know. Yes. All expense paid trip. I'm here for it. Whatever they need.
- [41:55]
A
I think the warehouse should have to pay for it. Out of their.
- [41:58]
B
Yeah. Yes.
- [41:59]
A
There we all the money they're making. Not having to pay her back, to pay her back, to pay her back, to pay her back. Confession number 22222. A few years ago, we were hired to check out a vacation home down in Florida. It was a beautiful two story home in a gated community with waterfront access. Truly a stunning property and worth a lot. It was owned by a family who had bought it decades ago as an extra property. Okay. This was one of multiple homes for them. And this one ended up just sitting there, untouched and ignored, but kept as kind of passive investment. Eventually the oldest child, a woman now in her 40s, inherited it and decided very casually from what I gathered, that she should probably see what she owned.
- [42:44]
B
Must be nice. Yeah.
- [42:46]
A
Cannot relate, but okay. That's where we got involved. So when someone says a property has been sitting, you expect dust and maybe a Musty smell. You do not expect what we walked into.
- [42:57]
B
Oh, no.
- [42:58]
A
It was something I can only describe as a full on disaster. Imagine paths carved through mountains of junk. Furniture piles, random objects and trash stacked and scattered everywhere. When we walked in, we had to fully clear a path from the doorway just to get past the entry. We could barely get from room to room. It was a huge safety hazard, and it was disgusting. The air was completely stale, and there was a layer of dust everywhere on every surface. I remember walking through this house just feeling like I was in one of those hoarding shows on tlc. But the craziest thing was the kitchen. There was this mystery box sitting there that looked like some kind of takeout container from decades ago.
- [43:35]
B
I definitely have a gag reflex. So, like, I don't know if I
- [43:38]
A
can continue listening to this.
- [43:39]
B
Oh, my gosh. Okay, keep going. It's for. I'm not kidding you. After I had my son, something happened where, like, smell has totally affected me. And even though I can't smell it, the imagination is so real, I feel like you can. Okay.
- [43:53]
A
They're really painting a picture. Okay. This whole place felt like a time capsule, and I was curious as to what it was, so I opened it. Inside was this strange kind of shiny substance, and on the lid, it read, orange chicken. Gross. Over the decades, the sauce had dried into a shiny amber glacier. Are you gonna throw?
- [44:14]
B
I might. I'm gonna. I'm strong. I can do this. Kolinar, go. Lock it down.
- [44:20]
A
I tapped it with a pin, and it was rock hard. Oh, my God. It had literally fossilized and was sitting there like a preserved RELIC from the 90s. I honestly remember being more intrigued than disg. It looks like it belonged in a museum exhibit. No, there was other less interesting expired food items in the cabinets. Like half eaten bags of chips and unopened soda cans, with the old packaging and appliances from the 90s still plugged in but useless. Needless to say, it became a full gut job and everything had to go. I didn't step foot in there again until it was down to the studs. It's funny, though, because through the entire chaos of the project, the fossilized orange chicken is what has stuck with me most. Yeah, I feel like that would stick with you for life. Yeah.
- [45:04]
B
Yeah. So.
- [45:05]
A
Oh, my goodness.
- [45:07]
B
Good word. A for a. For effort. For the words. Yeah, Completely agree. That's so bad. Oh, I can't.
- [45:15]
A
Yeah.
- [45:16]
B
How did that get there? Again? Like, I'm just so curious about backstory. It's like, did someone live there did they.
- [45:22]
A
It sounds like someone lived there. Yeah. And then, like, vacated and didn't do anything with it. I mean, you never know. Sometimes people who. And this is all, like, complete speculation. I have no more information. But sometimes I love speculation.
- [45:36]
B
I do too.
- [45:37]
A
I honestly love speculation. Sometimes people who have so many homes and, like, consider them investment properties, they'll like, let someone. They know that's true. Like, live in a house for six months in between things. Or like, they'll let their cousin who's down on his luck, move in or just something like that. So I could see it being like they. They lint it out or I don't know, maybe like, again, literally no information.
- [46:02]
B
Like a squatter, though. Right?
- [46:04]
A
But, like, it doesn't sound like the woman was surprised. Like, that wasn't included in the.
- [46:09]
B
Also true.
- [46:10]
A
You know what I mean? And I feel like if it was like, if it was like, she didn't. If. If it wasn't the someone in the family, she would be like, oh, my God, someone's been living here and we didn't know. Like, it sounds like they. Which I mean, I mean, hoarding is a, like, mental illness.
- [46:25]
B
An illness.
- [46:26]
A
And so it could just be that they got so overwhelmed with the space, they had enough money to just move to a new space that's clean and not deal with it. Which, like, talk about avoidance. Yeah, that's like, avoidance to such a level that you don't even. But with hoarding comes locked. Like, there's typically. It's from something typically in some. So who knows? Trauma could also have created, like, that avoidance level that they just don't. Again, all of this is speculation, but that's the only thing I can kind of think of is like, also, if you know anything about hoarding, you know, it's like, impossible to throw things away.
- [47:03]
B
Right.
- [47:04]
A
So maybe it would just be easier for the hoarder to know those things are still somewhere and they're safe. Do you know what I mean?
- [47:14]
B
I do.
- [47:15]
A
Like, that's all I can think of. Psychologically.
- [47:18]
B
I am the opposite of a hoarder, actually.
- [47:20]
A
I've been cleaning up my house, and I'm a little bit of a hoarder. But, like, a clean things are in drawers. They're just hoarded in drawers.
- [47:26]
B
I call myself a collector normal. I'm like, literally. That was actually my other almost vice is like, I hate, like, too many things. So, I mean, I am the mom who's like, oh, nice trash. Nice trash.
- [47:41]
A
No, you should talk to my mom. If we got trophies, we Were allowed to keep them for three months. And then they went, oh, no, I'm
- [47:46]
B
not that bad, Morsel. Now, the amount of stuff that comes home from your children's schools, sure, sure, sure. Sounds ridiculous. And I'm like, no, we're not doing this. But basically, in our house, it's like, if somebody doesn't know where it went, they're like, mom, did you throw it away?
- [48:02]
A
We had that in our house, too. We went to summer camp one year and came back and all of our T shirts that we had been wearing for years had been turned into a quilt. And my mom's like, you don't need these T shirts anymore.
- [48:14]
B
Trying to be sentimental a little. That's terrible. Again, I wouldn't go that far. But also because you wouldn't have had the T shirts to begin with. You would have thrown up and gotten. So it's fine. Yeah, you get used to it. Oh, man, that's a tough one.
- [48:31]
A
Oh, my God.
- [48:31]
B
I think my penance for her would be like, candles everywhere.
- [48:35]
A
Yeah, that smell makes you want to vomit. Good. Shower, bath, shower situation.
- [48:42]
B
I can't believe she was able to walk through. I literally would have probably had like to leave.
- [48:47]
A
Sorry, I can't do this. Gotta go. Yeah, yeah.
- [48:49]
B
I'll come back once it's gutted and that's it. Like, I'm not.
- [48:54]
A
It doesn't sound like they spent very long in there because it doesn't sound like you could walk very far into the unit, so. Oh, we probably should do some penance for the owners, But I think since we don't know much, let's just. Penance maybe is like love and light. Let's hope they're doing okay. Let's hope that everything's fine. We have enough going on on their own that they don't need penance from me, is what I would say. And I hope they got better and they don't eat any more Chinese food because, like, I don't. I'll never be able to eat orange chicken again, is what I'll tell you.
- [49:28]
B
I would agree with you on that.
- [49:38]
A
Remember when I said Designer Receiving wasn't a sponsor and I just genuinely wanted to share how wonderful they are? That was true. But this episode is now officially sponsored by Designer Receiving. They work exclusively with interior designers to handle everything from receiving an inventory to storage and installation. But what truly sets them apart is how much they care and go out of their way to make sure every project goes smoothly. They're organized, tech forward and people focused, building genuine relationships with the Designers they work with. If you want a partner who truly has your back, designer receiving is it. Check them out@designerreceiving.com. You were inspired to pursue a career in design after renovating your own home in Hinsdale. What was the scariest part or hardest part about making that career change?
- [50:30]
B
I think the possibility to fail is
- [50:32]
A
always the most scary thing.
- [50:34]
B
I remember starting my Instagram page and. And you had to associate it with a phone number, and I put mine in, and it was. All of a sudden, it's like, here's all of your friends.
- [50:44]
A
I was like, no, delete, delete.
- [50:45]
B
No, no, no, no. You want to know I'm doing this because if I don't do it or if I do it and I don't do well, then it feels, like, so scary.
- [50:52]
A
I had the same feeling. Yep.
- [50:53]
B
I had the same moment, but I did it. And I think, too, like, all of this is about learning. Right? I don't think. I think design is a practice, and so we're learning constantly, and I think just take lessons. Letting. Letting go of that fear was, like, the biggest thing that I think I learned just to be like, whatever. Like, let's learn. Let's figure it out.
- [51:13]
A
You just gotta jump, and we'll make it happen.
- [51:15]
B
Yeah.
- [51:16]
A
I think that's kind of the only way.
- [51:18]
B
And if you're a good person, you'll make it work.
- [51:20]
A
It'll work out.
- [51:21]
B
Yeah, I think so.
- [51:21]
A
It'll work out.
- [51:22]
B
Yeah. Okay.
- [51:23]
A
What's something about running a design firm that you didn't expect?
- [51:26]
B
I would say a lot of things is my real answer. You know, I joke that, like, this job is math and manual labor.
- [51:39]
A
It is.
- [51:41]
B
It really is. But I think the math extends not just in the design itself, of making sure that, you know, we have the technical. No money, but. Exactly. It's the financial side of things, too. And not just for your business, but for the clients and their budget.
- [51:53]
A
Money is the thing that stresses me out about this job more than anything else. I would agree. Is the money side.
- [51:58]
B
Yep.
- [51:59]
A
I wish we didn't have to deal with that.
- [52:01]
B
Me too.
- [52:01]
A
And it could just be, like, in school, where they're like, just design, no budget. How was that helpful? What world is that ever gonna happen? What? I still don't understand that. But, yeah, I mean, I think that it's very underestimated how much math there is. And I. I only made it through math because I cheated.
- [52:20]
B
Yeah.
- [52:21]
A
So, like, I'm not equipped for this.
- [52:24]
B
It's crazy. I would agree with you from the
- [52:25]
A
math side, I will say I've gotten, like, money and then centimeter conversion. I can kind of do those in my head now. But otherwise, you feel like the other. And I mean, yeah, it's.
- [52:38]
B
That's funny.
- [52:38]
A
I feel like a lot of creatives are bad at math, but this job needs so much math. So maybe trying to have someone on your team who knows math.
- [52:46]
B
It's interesting.
- [52:47]
A
Sam, who helps me, she has a math brain.
- [52:49]
B
Yeah.
- [52:49]
A
So I feel like, luckily, one of us has it under control. But I agree that was.
- [52:54]
B
It's surprising. Yes. The amount of math that you have to do, just in general. But. Yeah, I think there's a lot of things that I've learned. And again, it's just. You gotta keep learning.
- [53:03]
A
Yeah. As long as you're taking something from the experience, then that's all you can do. Okay. What advice would you give your younger self before you knew what running a business really meant?
- [53:13]
B
These are really great questions. What advice would I give myself?
- [53:17]
A
Mine would be to pay more attention in Matt.
- [53:19]
B
Yeah.
- [53:21]
A
Hence, the reason I passed was cheating. I. I kind of wish I had locked in on that a little bit more. That would have been good.
- [53:27]
B
That's so funny. I would say, a, you know what you're doing, so, like, follow your intuition. And B, I think invest in, like, the process and both for your clients and how you run your projects, but also, like, internally as well. Sooner.
- [53:46]
A
Yeah.
- [53:46]
B
You know, I think I was just, like, so excited to just get business,
- [53:49]
A
get running, and, like, go get it done.
- [53:51]
B
And I think that would have been really helpful to be like, okay, I'm. I'm tracking my hours. I'm doing all the things up front now to set myself up for future success.
- [53:59]
A
I think you're right about that. I think in the beginning, sort of just like, well, I don't know anything. I'm just gonna go. I'm gonna do the part that I do know how to do.
- [54:07]
B
Yes.
- [54:07]
A
And then it's much harder to sort of, like, work backward. I mean, I didn't make a PO for the first six months of my company.
- [54:14]
B
Yeah.
- [54:14]
A
That's not good.
- [54:16]
B
I believe you.
- [54:17]
A
That's not great. And so I do think it's something that in some ways, it's kind of the only way to start, because it's easy to get overwhelmed if you're like, I have to have my process right now. I have to have all these things. So in some ways, it's, I think, helpful to just jump. But you do end up having a breakdown about a year in. And you're like, nothing's organized. I don't know where anything is. Something happens, and you're like, I've got to sit down and get my process together. Yeah. Which, again, you're learning from it. But it would be nice if you. If I had a bit more process in the beginning.
- [54:47]
B
I think so, too. Yeah. And I didn't even think I had a process. I think that's the funnier thing. Like, I was like, oh, I don't even have a process. It's different every time. And then I look at it now, and I was like, I obviously had a process, but it just wasn't, like, in my mind. But it wasn't.
- [55:02]
A
It's hard to name when it's your own process.
- [55:03]
B
Yeah.
- [55:04]
A
I think sometimes. How do you feel like your degree in marketing influences how you run your firm?
- [55:09]
B
I am a Picasso, is the short answer. That's actually my boss that I mentioned before in the mortgage world. He used to call me Picasso because he'd be like, okay, hey, I just need this, like, form, you know, type out these words and just, like, put it on a thing and print it for me. And I was like, no, I'm just not doing that. Like, I'm going to make it look great. I am not going to, you know, just type words on a document and print it. Like, I cannot do it.
- [55:36]
A
It has to
- [55:38]
B
be in, like, 20 minutes. Just stop. You're just such a Picasso. And I was like, well, then find someone else to do it.
- [55:42]
A
Like, you should ask.
- [55:43]
B
You're getting from me, right? Like, excellence in design. So I would say that was a big factor. Like, really caring about what things look like. I mean, in a true sense of marketing is about that. Right. It's, like, about how people perceive you. And so I think that that was really help for me.
- [55:59]
A
Cool. I like that answer. That answer. Okay. The tagline for CTI is interiors that make you feel. What is something that made you feel recently?
- [56:13]
B
I love that question. And I also thought about that as I was driving down, because last night I watched the Oscars.
- [56:19]
A
Yeah.
- [56:20]
B
And got to see Jessie Buckley win the best Actress award. And. Which is so well deserved. And so it was. Was just such a nice moment. I feel like in our world, like, you care about doing the best job you can. And it's so hard to, like, get that instant gratification right. Of, like, all of it. You did it, like, world. See that? Thank you. Right. Like, it's just. It's a tough one. And so when you get to see someone get that. It just is such a nice feeling to be like, wow, she worked so hard. She was excellent in her craft of what she did. And she had such a great speech, too. Like, it was nice to see her personality, that she's just, like, a good person who.
- [57:00]
A
I'm gonna have to go watch that. I didn't watch her speech.
- [57:03]
B
It was so great. I mean, she's just like. Like, I love my husband. I love my child. I. You know, the story was about motherhood, the act that she played. And so she really just had a nice moment to be like, motherhood is crazy. And, like.
- [57:17]
A
And it is.
- [57:18]
B
And it is. It really is. But, like, what a gift to be able to tell the story. Yeah.
- [57:22]
A
That is incredible. I'm gonna have to go look. Look that up. Okay. Lastly, where can we find you?
- [57:29]
B
So I am on Instagram. That's really the only one. Only platform that I use. I'll be completely honest, and all the other ones sound fun, but my Instagram handle is Studio W Underscore Chicago, and I will also be getting featured in Lux. Coming.
- [57:47]
A
Congratulations. Yay. That's amazing. Which you'll have to look out for that.
- [57:51]
B
So. Love print. Prince is not dead.
- [57:54]
A
No, it's not.
- [57:55]
B
Make sure you be exactly.
- [57:57]
A
Well, thank you so much for being here. This was so fun.
- [57:59]
B
Thank you for having me. This was great.
- [58:02]
A
Okay. And until next week. Peace be with you. Bye.